Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) showcased the exciting research being done by its graduate students at the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition. The final event was held online on April 15, where students from the College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS) emerged as the top three winners.  

This year, HBKU 3MT was open to current master’s and PhD students representing HBKU’s colleges. The young researchers were challenged to articulate their research in front of a judging panel in an engaging three minute talk, using one PowerPoint slide and language suited to a non-specialist audience. They were judged on communication, comprehension and engagement.

Karim Shalaby, a PhD candidate in Biological and Biomedical Sciences at CHLS, won first place for his compelling presentation “Targeted Delivery of CRISPR for Gene Therapy”. In second place, Dana Al-Ansari, Master of Science (MSc) student in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, presented a “Genome-wide Screen of Yeast to Identify Quinoxaline Mode of Action”, and in third place was Noha Soliman Elsakrmy, MSc student in Genomics and Precision Medicine, CHLS, for “Identification of Base Excision Repair Components in the Nematode Caenorhaabditis Elegans”. 

Along with cash prizes of QR 7,000, QR 5,000, and QR 3,000 respectively, the three winners will be representing HBKU during the upcoming national 3MT contest, competing against students from all over Qatar.

Praising the participants for their show of skills, Dr. Maryam Al-Mannai, vice president of Student Affairs, said: “The virtual format of 3MT was all-new and encouraged our students to put even greater effort into their presentations. We were reminded of the depth of innovation behind their research ideas. With so many of our graduate students having their field research impacted by COVID-19, we were delighted to see their enthusiasm and the exceptional quality of their research.

“HBKU 3MT is an excellent platform for our scientists’ and researchers’ professional development, to help them build the communication skills they will need to see their ideas translate into research impact.”

Developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), 3MT competitions are now held in over 900 universities across more than 85 countries worldwide. 

For information on Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s programs and admission requirements, please visit hbku.edu.qa